Obstacles to the application of total quality management in health-care organizations

Abstract

This paper involves a significant review of the obstacles that face health-care organizations that undertake total quality management (TQM) implementation. A definition of the concept of quality is thoroughly explored, along with the concept of total quality. The importance of TQM in the health-care industry is discussed, and a comparison of TQM in manufacturing environments to TQM in a health-care organization environment is made. Obstacles to the application of TQM in health-care organizations are presented and discussed and conclusions and recommendations regarding the philosophy and practice of quality management and dignified leadership are made.